Launch of global hotel company glh. – London’s largest owner operator challenging the status quo

GuocoLeisure Limited, a Singapore-listed company with a secondary listing on the New Zealand Exchange, announces today the launch of a major global hotel company, glh.¹
 
The launch of glh. is driven by CEO Mike DeNoma, who since joining the business 12 months ago, has developed with his management team a new strategic direction for the company using his considerable experience of transforming international businesses in several industries. The launch of glh.signals serious intent and long term ambition to lead the transformation of the company.
 
glh. has carried out extensive market research into what affects decision-making for owners & guests which underpins our new approach. The new business model will provide an alternative to the current hotel industry business model by giving autonomy to our individual hotels:
 

• ·         A new deal for property owners and developers: glh. is offering more flexible terms and conditions to property owners and developers which challenge the status quo and redress the risk/reward balance within the industry.

• ·         An entrepreneurial approach to general management: While the industry rushes to take even more decision making out of the hotels, glh. is moving to put even more back in – giving autonomy to our individual hotels and unlocking the great potential of our General Management team.

• ·         Increasing need to respond to the data driven incursions of the online players: glh. will set out to transform the current model by using big data to differentiate the guest experience.

• ·         Launch of three new hotel brands over the next 12 months: In addition to developing a new operating model glh. will be announcing the launch of three new hotel brands over the coming 12 months, the first of which will be a luxury brand in July 2013.

 
The glh. global owner-operator strategy focuses on the 100 major global cities with the ten year ambition to deliver the best guest centred experience in the industry. The company is underpinning this with the use of advanced customer facing technology, infrastructure and decision science.
 
Commenting on today’s launch Mike DeNoma, said:
 
“We’re delighted to launch glh. a new hotel company that signifies our intent and ambition to unlock human potential and give property owners and developers a new deal. We want to be the first port of call for developers, owners and investors who want a new deal from a hotel management company.”
 
Mike added: “If you want to change the world, be profit accountable in an autonomous and decisive general management role, give us a call.”
 
 
¹ glh. refers to GLH Hotels Management (UK) Limited, the new name of Guoman
Hotel Management (UK) Limited, a subsidiary of GuocoLeisure Limited.
 
glh. is the largest owner-operator hotel company in London with over 4,000 hotel rooms. In total glh. has 8,279 bedrooms 337 meeting rooms across 36 Hotels in the UK.
 
glh. has set up a certified training academy, in partnership with Cornell University, The Institute for Data Science and the Market Research society, amongst others, to support the Value Centre General Managers (“VCGM”). Supporting the General Managers, VCGMs will be accountable for economic profit, balance sheet, P&L, sales/marketing and operations within each hotel.
 
Mike DeNoma, CEO glh.
 
An American citizen, Mike DeNoma moved to the UK to take up his new position in 2012. Before joining glh. Mike DeNoma was chairman, president and chief executive of Chinatrust Commercial Bank, one of Asia’s first international Chinese financial institutions. Previously, from 1999 to 2009, DeNoma was chief executive of the Global Consumer Bank at Standard Chartered.
 
Earlier in his career he was the founder and chief executive of two nationwide companies in China and held senior executive positions with Hutchison Whampoa, Citibank and PepsiCo after starting his career at Procter & Gamble.
 
A devoted family man and keen ultramarathon runner, DeNoma regularly competes in athletic challenges to raise money for disadvantaged children.
 
Source : Company